New Android Mini Computer at $74; A Competition to Raspberry PI and Aakash Tablet?

Mini computers are fast becoming a rage. And the latest to hit the market is a powerful pocket-sized PC that's claimed to run on both Android 4.0 and Ubuntu Linux, all at the cost of $74 (around INR 4000)

Mini computers are fast becoming a rage. And the latest to hit the market is a powerful pocket-sized PC that's claimed to run on both Android 4.0 and Ubuntu Linux, all at the cost of $74 (around INR 4000)

Created by China-based company Rikomagic, the new micro-computer dubbed MK802 is said to operate on a single-core 1.5GHz AllWinner A10 Cortex A8 ARM processor and comes with 512MB of DDR3 high-capacity memory. Among other specification are a MALI400 graphics processing unit, WiFi connectivity, 4GB Flash storage, a microSD slot, as well as two USB ports. The device is also claimed to give 1080p HDMI of Video Output.

In order to operate as a fully functional PC, one needs to plug in a keyboard and wireless mouse to the device. The mini-computer would also be required to connect to a television monitor via an HDMI cable, CNX Software said.

Reports said that the miniature computer can be purchased from Aliexpress, a Chinese online retailer with free shipping. As of now, it has apparently run out of stock, possibly caused by massive demand for the device. Shipment of new orders will commence on June 10, the Aliexpress website said.

The MK802 may pose serious competition in India's computer market, with tablets such as Reliance's Aakash tablet PC already creating enough buzz especially in the educational sector. The latest Aakash Ubislate series is the least expensive Android tablet that's priced at around $54 (around INR 3000) and a highly functional one at that.

Powered by an 800 MHz processor, the Ubislate 7+ features an 800 MHz processor with a 256 MB of memory; the specifications are slightly inferior to that of the MK802.

Another rival to the MK802 is the affordable Raspberry Pi that is packed with a 700MHz ARM processor, 256MB of RAM along with USB ports and an SD card slot. The Linux-based Pi, which was first launched in February this year, is priced as low as $25 (about INR 1400) for the 128MB model and will soon come equipped with a 14 megapixel camera module set to release sometime later this year.